BJP announces first list of candidates for Karnataka Assembly elections

BJP announces first list of candidates for Karnataka Assembly elections

The announcement came late Sunday night after the party's Central Election Committee held a meeting presided over by BJP Amit Shah. 72 names have been announced in the first list for the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, which expires on May 28 this year.

The Bharatiya Janata Party announced its first list of candidates for the Karnataka Assembly elections scheduled to take place on May 12. The list has 72 names in the first list for the 224-member Assembly, which expires on May 28 this year.

The announcement came late Sunday night after the party’s Central Election Committee held a meeting presided over by BJP Amit Shah. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior leaders Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj were also present for the meeting at BJP headquarters in Delhi.

Two women candidates — Shashikala Jolle from Athani constituency in Belgaum district and Roopali Naik from the Karwar constituency in Uttara Kannada district — feature on the list of 72 names.

Karnataka will go to polls in one phase on May 12, and the results will be declared on May 15. The last date for filing the nominations is April 24, while April 27 is the last date of withdrawal of candidature.

The Congress is currently in power in Karnataka with 122 seats against the BJP’s 43. The state is one of the eight states that go to polls this year and will set the tone for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. While the Congress has picked incumbent Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as its CM face, the BJP has nominated former CM B S Yeddyurappa.